Wed, Oct 18, 2017
First Prototype Equipped With A Cabin Interior And With A Configuration Closer To The Serial Definition
The third Airbus H160 prototype (PT3) performed its maiden flight at the company’s headquarters this afternoon. PT3, with its cabin interior configuration similar to that of a serial aircraft, will contribute to certification activities and flight testing to ensure the aircraft’s level of maturity ahead of entry into service in 2019.
“The third prototype incorporates a significant amount of modifications based on feedback resulting from the first two years of testing by development, production and support teams” said Bernard Fujarski, Senior Vice President, Head of H160 programme. “It plays an essential role in delivering a mature aircraft at entry into service and it is also closer to the serial definition with its interior lining and transport cabin configuration” he added.
The first two prototypes have clocked more than 500 flight hours since the model’s maiden flight in June 2015. In that time, the flight envelope has already been fully tested and the domain has been opened. The remaining development activity, for example complementary hot weather testing, antennas, and optional equipment will be done using all three aircraft.
The helicopter’s final assembly line in Marignane is in the final stages of preparation and will be ready to start serial production shortly. Customer support activities are being prepared in parallel thanks to the extensive involvement of maintenance teams, through the “operator zero campaign”, using the prototypes and test means to check and improve the maintenance plan, digital work cards and technical documentation, and tooling etc. ahead of actual operations.
The first variant to enter service in 2019 will be the passenger transport.
(Image provided with Airbus Helicopters news release)
More News
Improvements Stack as Brand Readies for Mass Production Samson Sky updated followers on its flying car progress, describing some of the travails of the wind tunnel as they get clos>[...]
LAHSO An acronym for “Land and Hold Short Operation.” These operations include landing and holding short of an intersecting runway, a taxiway, a predetermined point, or>[...]
Dave Juwel's Aviation Marketing Stories ITBOA BNITBOB ... what does that mean? It's not gibberish, it's a lengthy acronym for "In The Business Of Aviation ... But Not In The Busine>[...]
Aero Linx: Space Medicine Association (SMA) The Space Medicine Branch was founded in 1951 as the first constituent organization of the Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA). In 2006>[...]
Back-Taxi A term used by air traffic controllers to taxi an aircraft on the runway opposite to the traffic flow. The aircraft may be instructed to back-taxi to the beginning of the>[...]